


wanna dine on that six (dine on that six)

by pinkmanite2 (Pinkmanite)



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: M/M, Reaction, get paid nicky!!!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-31
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-12-29 01:14:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18297389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pinkmanite/pseuds/pinkmanite2
Summary: But before it can get too sappy, Will winks. “You think Sorenson knew he’d have a future eighteen mil line of fourteen year olds?”“Well,” Nick shrugs, “he knew we were into each other before we did, so honestly? Yeah.”





	wanna dine on that six (dine on that six)

**Author's Note:**

> hi I don't know why the world is sleeping on this ship but Nick and Willy are real life childhood best friends and one day I'll write a canon compliant bigfic or like a primer maybe but they're [childhood hockey soulmates](https://www.nhl.com/news/prospects-nylander-schmaltz-share-extensive-bond/c-722591) and they're in love thanks!!!
> 
> anyway, both of them got their paychecks inked this year and I AM PROUD OK

It’s a weight lifted off his shoulders, and honestly? Even Nick himself can barely believe it. It’s nearly six million, locked in for seven whole years. Perhaps a little less bitter, perhaps a little bit more, Nick knows Chicago never could’ve done it, never would’ve. He’ll have to send his agent a very nice thank you basket, the kind with a rare chardonnay with the fancy handwritten labels. The kind that Will likes to keep around his house.

Speaking of which. 

Will had already called him a while ago, probably left a voicemail to match the “ _ congrats big money man” _ text that he’d sent along, too. He hasn’t left him on read for too long, knows Will won’t mind, that he knows Nick will respond as soon as he gets a minute. Besides, Will of all people understands. It’d been him just four months earlier, stuck in the exact same situation, and probably much more extreme than Nick’s.

But Nick’s finally gotten off the phone with his parents. There’s a few other important people he’ll have to call up but it’s Will’s turn now. He stretches his arms back, rearranges himself until he comfortably on his bed.

“Hey Siri,” Nick enunciates until he hears the familiar chime from his phone, “facetime Willy, please.”

_ “Facetiming Willy blue heart blue heart eggplant.” _

It’s maybe half a second before Will picks up, shuffling loud on the other end. Nick lays back, holds his phone over his face with the pop socket. 

“Hey,” he grins once Will’s face takes over the screen. 

_ “Look at you,” _ Will grins right back, smile wide and too-white, blue eyes wider than usual behind his glasses.  _ “Getting fucking paid, eh Big Shot?” _

“Shut up.” Nick says, but there’s no heat. “You’re one to talk.”

Will visibly shrugs, phone screen pulled farther away from him now. He’s wearing a familiar tee shirt, once that Nick recognizes immediately. It’s worn and the collar is stretched, but it’s stamped in a green that reminds Nick of the feeling of  _ home. _ The North Dakota logo is cracked and peeling in more places than it’s not, but it’s a nice look. Especially stretch just a hair too small over Will’s chest. 

_ “It’s my favorite shirt,” _ Will hums, eyes amused, easily reading Nick’s mind of course. He’s watching him close enough, knows him even better to just know. 

“Yeah, you’re welcome,” Nick huffs, but Will just laughs more.

_ “Hey, thanks by the way,” _ Will starts.

“For the shirt?” Nick raises an eyebrow. “Because I’m pretty sure you stole that from me years ago.”

_ “No, dumbass.”  _ Will shakes his head.  _ “For finessing six fucking mil, holy shit.” _

“Uh?” Nick prompts, not quite following.

_ “Bro, you make my contract look like a steal,” _ Will grins, cheeky. Anyone else, Nick might find it in him to be a little offended, but Will’s eyes sparkle with a little something just for him and he can’t feel anything other than a warmth in his chest. 

“Oh, you brat,” Nick says, fond. 

Will laughs, but then softens quickly enough.  _ “You earned it, you know. Every last penny.” _ He stops, looks Nick over and smiles, soft.  _ “I’m proud of you, Nicky. _ ”

Nick has to take a second, tries to take a subtle deep breath. He knows Will means it, can feel in the way he says it, the way he looks at him.

“Thanks, man. I appreciate it. I really do.”

But before it can get too sappy, Will winks.  _ “You think Sorenson knew he’d have a future eighteen mil line of fourteen year olds?” _

“Well,” Nick shrugs, “he knew we were into each other before  _ we _ did, so honestly? Yeah.”

_ “It was nice of you to ink up,” _ Will says,  _ “complete the triad with Dvo here.” _

“Yeah?”

_ “Well I’m at seven mil, he was at five, you slotted in at six? Perfect, that’s how that works, right?” _

Nick laughs, bright and full. “Yeah you can be the one to explain it to him.” 

_ “Can’t handle the heavy duty, huh?” _

“You’re the heartbreaker,” Nick reasons. “Don’t front.”

_ “Not quite the same there, Nicholas,” _ Will singsongs.  _ “But I guess it’s the same result, huh?” _

“Dunno,” Nick runs a hand through his hair, just an air cocky. “Never been your victim.”

Will rolls his eyes.  _ “Aren’t you a lucky one?” _ Sarcastic. 

But Nick just grins and nods. “I am. I am the lucky one.” He makes a kissy face into the camera, just to emphasize his point. “And I can’t say I really feel sorry for all the boys you’ve had to reject over the past —what? Eight years? Nine?”

_ “God, we’re old,”  _  Will groans. There’s a little more shuffling, the screen gets a little blurry while he moves around.  _ “Alright, I gotta nap soon. Ottawa tonight.” _

“You’re gonna clinch soon,” Nick assures him when he hears the nerves behind Will’s airiness. He’s known him for far too long not to pick up on these kinds of things. “You’re going good, Will. You are.”

Will makes a face, lips tight in a line, but he nods more or less.  _ “Thanks, Nick.” _

“You know it,” he nods. “Now go nap, knock ‘em dead tonight.”

_ “Yeah, alright,” _ and Will’s grinning again now, back on his A-game.  _ “Next time I see you, you’re picking up the tab with your spare change, ‘kay?” _

Nick rolls his eyes. “You make more than me.”

_ “Yeah well, you have to make up for eating me out of my pocket last month,” _ Will makes a different face this time, the tip of his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth. 

Nick remembers it, remembers coming into the arena and watching that one from the box, remembers meeting Will in the tunnels of Gila and taking him to the nicest steakhouse in Phoenix, just to devilishly hand him the bill at the end.

“Rite of passage,” Nick hums. 

_ “I’m going to get the rarest cut of meat I can find. Drenched in truffles. And gold.” _ Will pokes, but the effect is lost when he breaks into an involuntary yawn. He stifles it and hides it behind his hand, but it’s telling enough.

“Go nap,” Nick says gently.

_ “Okay,” _ Will blinks, takes off his glasses and rubs at his eyes.  _ “Call Jo now, ‘cause I know you haven’t yet.” _

Nick hates that Will knows he’d called him before calling his own brother, but of course he knows; no matter how long they’ve spent apart this season they know each other like that, have known each other like for longer than Nick can remember at this point.

“I will, as soon as I hang up with you.”

_ “Good. Tell everyone I said hi.” _

“I will.”

Nick can see Will move around his hotel room, watches him crawl under the covers and resettles until he’s comfy. There’s some clicking when he sets his alarm.

_ “I’m proud of you, Nicky, okay? So fucking proud.” _

Nick softens, opens his mouth to say something, but Will continues, quieter, gentler.  _ “I love you so much.” _

“I miss you,” Nick says automatically. 

_ “Me too. Soon, though, okay?” _

“Soon,” Nick agrees. “I love you, too. Thank you.”

_ “Always.” _ Will grins.  _ “I’ll talk to you later, okay? After the game.” _

“Can’t wait,” Nick sighs. He hangs up and stares at his phone for a second. His chest aches with a pull — a want, a need— to hold something (someone) he can’t right now. But Will’s right. It’ll be soon, it’ll be good, and it’ll be the ribbon that pulls everything together. This season’s been rough, but somehow he’s made it work. Somehow  _ they’ve _ made it work. They’re on top.

Nick’s phone pings. 

_ CALL!!!! JO!!!! _ is what Will’s message reads.

Nick grins, shakes his head and starts typing, but then another message comes through, then another, rapid fire.

_ ps proud of you still _

_ love you ❤️ _

Nick's heart beats way too loudly in his chest. 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> title is twist of lyrics from loud luxury body, which is also the namesake for my willy signing reaction fic from december ;)
> 
> also wax poetic about nicky/willy with me on twitter @[pinkmanite](https://twitter.com/pinkmanite)!!


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